MONTHLY COMPETITION

A monthly competition is held on the 4th Monday of each month at the Main Huntsville Public Library.

Members may submit Color prints, Monochrome prints, Digital Color or Digital Monochrome images that conform to the topic for that month.

HPS bears no responsibility for the loss of or damage to prints submitted for any competition

Monthly Awards:

• First Place: 5 points
• Second Place: 4 points
• Third Place: 3 points
• Honorable Mention: 1 point

The judge is usually from outside the HPS.

ANNUAL COMPETITION

In December of each year an annual banquet is held in lieu of regular meetings. The Best of Year photos are presented at the banquet.

All entries that have placed in the monthly competitions are eligible to compete in the  year end competition.

Print images that have won an award during the year must be returned and turned in by the last competition in November to compete for Best of Year awards.

All Digital images that have placed throughout the year are automatically entered.

Annual Awards

• Best of Year Awards (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention (10% of total)) are presented to the top photographs that placed in that year in each of the following categories:
• Best of Year Monochrome Print
• Best of Year Color Print
• Best of Year Monochrome Digital
• Best of Year Color Digital
• President’s Award: presented to the HPS member who has
• accumulated the most competition points during the year.

BASIC RULES

Only current, dues-paying, members in good standing are eligible to enter the competition.

HPS membership is open to all people regardless of residence. You do not need to be present at the meetings to compete. You may enter up to 4 images per monthly competition, no more than 2 per category.

Example 1: 2 Color Digital and 2 Color prints

Example 2: 2 Color Digital, 1 Color print and 1 Monochrome print

Example 3: 1 Monochrome Digital, 2 Color print and 1 Monochrome print

Example 4: 2 Color print and 2 Monochrome print

Printed entries must be submitted no later than five minutes after the time the meeting is scheduled to begin.
Digital entries must be submitted by 9:00 pm, 1 week prior to the competition.

No duplicate entries may be entered in any monthly competition. For example an image entered in Color Digital may not be entered in Color Print nor converted to Monochrome for the monochrome categories of the same contest.

Once an image has placed in a monthly competition (1st, 2nd, 3rd or Honorable Mention), that image, or one nearly identical, must be retired and may not be re-entered in another monthly HPS competition.

The originating format of the photo does not dictate which category you may enter. You may print digital images and compete in the printed category. You may scan negative film, slides or prints and compete in the digital competition. Any and all combinations are allowed.

The work must by your own original work. All pixels are to be the work of the photographer entering the competition.

The author of an entry is to remain anonymous as far as possible until judging is completed.  Watermarks on images and prints are not permitted.

There should be no comments made by the membership during the judging of the competition.

DIGITAL ENTRIES

Digital Secretary must have photos 1 week (7 days) before the competition.

To enter the Digital competition, entries can be uploaded to the website, with the entry window opening the 1st of each month.

There are two separate categories for Digital:  Digital Monochrome and Digital Color. Digital Monochrome may be black and white, or sepia or any other single color along with white.

If an entry has two or more colors, it is considered a color image and must be entered into the color category.

A member may enter up to 2 entries per category for a maximum total of 4 entries (print and digital combined).

Judging of digital images occurs during the week prior to the competition.  Therefore, access to the upload page will end at 9:00 pm on Monday one week prior to the competition.

A gallery of winning images will open on this site for public viewing soon after the competition.  Submission of a photo implies that the owner grants the society the right to display that image on the society website at the resolution submitted should it achieve 1st, 2nd, 3rd or HM.

DIGITAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Format: JPG Images Only

Maximum Width:  2800 pixels

Maximum Height:  1600 pixels

Maximum file size:  10 MB

Quantity:  Maximum of 4 total (digital and print) photos per member;  maximum of 2 color digital and 2 mono digial.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Color Depth: 8-bit color (8 bits/channel)
• Color Space: sRGB color space (this is the default for most cameras)

DIGITAL SUBMISSION METHOD:

Please upload all digital images to this HPS website by going to the Competitions/Current menu option.  The deadline is typically 9:00 pm the Monday prior to the competition.

You may include a title for each image.

Security of your Images:

The photo gallery will only display the full-size version of your image to the judge.   All winning photos are displayed on the webpage showing winners.  By submitting a photo to competition, you are implicitly agreeing to  allow your photo to be displayed on this website if it should win. HPS does not resell or use your image(s) other than to post them here, in an online gallery.

COLOR PRINTS

Minimum printed image size (without mat) is 5—7 inches.

Maximum size (with mat) must fit in the lightbox – 2′ tall x 4′ wide.

Print must be mounted and may be matted. Color mats are welcome.

Absolutely no frames!

Name and Arrow indicating which way is up must be on the back of the print!
All prints must be two dimensional. Prints that have been intentionally folded to stand out will not be allowed.

Entries must be a single print. Mats with multiple openings will not be allowed unless explicitly stated for a particular topic.

MONOCHROME PRINTS

Follow the same rules as for color prints.

Monochrome prints can be Black and White or Sepia or any other single color along with white. If a print has two or more colors (i.e. hand tinted or colorized ) it is considered a color print.

JUDGING

HPS has nurtured some terrific relationships In the Huntsville art and photography communities. As a result we are able to find some amazing judges with a variety of techniques and backgrounds. We allow each judge to use their own methods to critique images and look forward to their insightful, helpful and informative comments. The judge awards 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Honorable Mention Awards to selected entries.  The number of Honorable Mention awards is equal to 10% of the total number of entries, rounded to the nearest integer (e.g.  2.7 is equal to 3).

LIFETIME AWARDS PROGRAM

1. Fellow of HPS: An HPS member who has had twenty (20) entries that have placed during monthly competition shall attain the status of Fellow of HPS and receive a certificate so attesting.
2. Fellow = Stars: Once a member is a Fellow of HPS, additional earned competition points shall result in the following merit star awards:
   • 20 points = Bronze Star
   • 40 points = Silver Star
   • 60 points = Gold Star
3. Master of Photography: This is awarded after a Fellow of HPS has won one hundred (100) additional competition points and has had at least one public exhibition of his or her work.

Regarding the exhibition; you must meet the following stipulations:

• The exhibition may be with a group of other exhibitors or a single showing.
• The member must display a minimum of six(6) matted or framed prints.
• Exhibition must be in a public venue.
• The exhibition must last a minimum of 5 days
• Time limit:
  • The member must inform the Competition Secretary of a showing no later than one year after the point accumulation for Master status, so they may verify it.
  •              – OR —
  • The member must profide verifiable evidence of a showing prior to the point accumulation.

It is the member’s responsibility to notify the Competition Records Officer of the details of the public exhibition, and the HPS Competition Records Officer must certify both the points and exhibition requirement.

The Huntsville Art League has a standing offer of Gallery space to any HPS member nearing the Masters level.